Spirits Archives - First Pour Cocktails

Starward Fortis Single Malt

Posted on October 22, 2023 by Nick

Our original intent while in Melbourne was to visit Starward to enjoy some of their delicious whiskey (which is also exported to the U.S.). Unfortunately, the distilleries hours on Google did not align with the reality of the distillery, and instead ended up with the lovely folks at Patient Wolf (with their great Whiskey Barrel Aged Sloe Gin). While we didn’t get to the distillery, the folks at Dan Murphy’s (a local bottle shop nearby the distillery) were kind enough to pour us some of their whiskey. Among the more impressive offerings, was Starward Fortis Single Malt, an Australian whiskey matured in American Oak Red Wine Barrels and barreled at a higher than usual 50% A.B.V.

Starward Fortis Single Malt

Batch: 3
Age: Not Age Stated
Proof: 100 (50% A.B.V.)
Finishing: American Oak barrels previously containing Barossa Valley red wines.
Price: $150 AUD
Export Only

Sight: Solid mahogany

Smell: Beautiful vanilla, preserved raspberries, and jammy plums all waft out from the start. There’s a pretty biscuit like note, light brown sugar, and some delicate cinnamon and spice pastry that adds in. Little touches of orange and citrus with raisin round things out.

Sip: The palate is surprisingly rich, and gets ever so slightly prickly. The payoff though is enormous flavors. Bursting forth are fresh raspberries and plums wrapped in caramelized apricot turnover. There’s subtle spice here, with hints of oak and amazing nectarine and peach elements. Dark chocolate and subtle cigar finish the rich and dark notes in the palates.

Savor: The ending carries forward preserved apricot, light oak, spice, and a beautiful sort of lingering biscuit note. As it sits, more citrus, golden raisin, and fruit notes keep emerging.

Starward Fortis Single Malt is rich, luscious, and complex. The finishing imparts some lovely red wine flavors, but there’s a great underlying whisky here as well. The amazing and unpredictable stone fruits mixed with the dessert like pastry elements just keeps giving. Add in a ridiculous long finish, and there’s nothing not to love here. It’s simply splendid.

In Cocktails

In a highball apricot and dark chocolate flavors spread out with a nice oaky spice. The vanilla, a hint of smokiness, and a bit of walnut comes through. The result is that Starward Fortis Single Malt feels more delicate, sharing more of the cigar and dried fruit flavors. The result is a nice flavor, but one that feels less satisfying than in a neat pour.

In Review – Starward Fortis Single Malt

Starward Fortis Single Malt is delicious, delicate, and well rounded. The overall character shows that Starward is on the world stage for a reason, they make very good whiskey. While bourbon lovers might find this relatively tame, Scotch and Single Malt fans are going to find a ton to love here. Now the hard part about Fortis is that it’s only available to Australians (although they also have Single Barrel and Nova here in the U.S.). While it is very good, I can’t quite say that it’s so good you should bother to try to bring it into the country from one of the many international websites. If it does become available though, I recommend trying this one, as it is delicious.

Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5

Posted on October 11, 2023October 3, 2023 by Nick

Although less common than Elijah Craig Private Barrels bottled at barrel strength, there are Elijah Craig batches that are bottled at the small batch 94 proof. Given that the small batch is routinely one of our recommended bottles for beginning your home bar, are these viable options to add to your shelf? To find out, I grabbed a (now sold out) bottle of Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5 [they still have batch #6 if you feel inclined as of the time of writing this].

Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5

Barrel No.: 6071250
Age: 10 Years
Rickhouse: T
Floor: 4
Proof: 94 (47% A.B.V.)

Sight: Chestnut Oloroso Sherry – Slightly darker than their standard offering.

Smell: A significant amount of a vanilla and caramel sweetness lead off. Big touches of powdered sugar, peanut brittle, and maple come through. There’s more heat here than you might expect at 94 proof. There’s an underlying spice that compliments the sweetness here, giving good amounts of oak spice, cigar box, and cinnamon. A little hint of orange peel and apple comes through.

Sip: The sip starts off moderately, but immediately pulls through a good run of sweetness. There’s nice hits of caramel, oak, and a little bit of dark chocolate. The predominate nuttiness downgrades a little, turning more into a background note. That slight touch of apple or orange is still there. Overall, it’s pleasant, soft, and mildly assertive.

Savor: Sweet oak continues through out with nice amounts of caramel, touches of maple, and a little spice. It lingers pleasantly and softly.

Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5 is well textured, decently layered, and subtly different than the standard offering. The flavors here are more bent toward fruit and nuts than the standard, but this makes it a little more fun to explore as it opens in the glass. The price difference being less than $10 makes this a nice option if you’re hoping to enjoy your Elijah Craig Small Batch neat.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan, it gives a nice medium body and plenty of flavor. There’s good spicing from the oak and bitters that help to lay the background for some caramel and chocolate notes. The subtle apple notes gain a cinnamon element and it has a bit of baked apple. As Manhattans go, it’s very nice and slightly autumnal.

In Review – Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5

Elijah Craig All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel #5 was very good value at only $40. The age comes through in the neat pour, while it’s versatile for cocktails. These sort of bottles (single barrels that are from producers we recommend for beginning your bar) are bottles you should consider when stocking or restocking your bar to introduce both quality and variety. While not all of them will be like exactly like this bottle, it’s reasonable to go with confidence when selecting an Elijah Craig single barrel selection.

Old Tub Bourbon

Posted on October 4, 2023October 3, 2023 by Nick

Old Tub Bourbon is a tribute to one of Jim Beam’s original best selling bourbons (in the 1890’s). Named after the old tubs that used to be used for distillation, this unfiltered, bonded bourbon used to be a gift shop only offering in 375 ml vessels. A few years back, this changed, and Jim Beam began offering Old Tub as a regular offering in 750 ml. The price is reasonable, and as you might have noticed, this seems to have replaced Jim Beam Bonded. So is it a step-up over Jim Beam White Label?

Old Tub Bourbon

Distillery: James B. Beam
Proof: 50 (100% A.B.V.)
Age: Not Age Stated, Minimum of 4 Years
Filtration: Unfiltered
Bottled-In-Bond

Sight: A solid deep gold.

Smell: Unsurprisingly, the Jim Beam peanut funk comes out here loaded for bear. Around it there’s a nice amount of oak, spice, and caramelized sugar notes. The nose also has a bit of heat to it with a bit of vanilla like notes.

Sip: The mouthfeel starts moderately full. The first notes are peanut like with some oak, before there’s a turn toward hay, tobacco, and black tea. A little bit of caramel and spice flits at the edges, but it’s more on the grain and savory side.

Savor: The ending is oak and more hay-tobacco notes. The finish has a moderate tannic nature, but doesn’t last particularly long.

Old Tub Bourbon is average and not particularly exciting or deep. What it does deliver is a solid, dry, bottled-in-bond offering that gives some more oak forward flavors. The Beam funk is also prominent, but not long lasting. Overall, drinking it straight isn’t offensive, but not exciting either.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan there’s a nice weight and textural component that makes the drink feel solid. Beyond the weight, the herbal notes in the vermouth tend to vibe with the oakier notes of the Old Tub. The subtle sweetness of the vermouth moves the peanut notes a little toward brittle, but ultimately it leans dry again. The ending brings in more herbal components and oak tannins.

In Review – Old Tub Bourbon

Old Tub Bourbon is unremarkable, and priced accordingly at around $20. It’s the kind of bourbon that gives a little more emphasis than standard Jim Beam White Label, but doesn’t quite expand it’s horizons in any meaningful way. While there’s a big jump in price, it probably is worth considering making the leap to Knob Creek if you’d like to go up in the Beam range, while for higher proof, Wild Turkey can deliver with more spice and less peanut funk. Finally, it isn’t immediately apparent that this is an upgrade over Jim Beam Bonded, but perhaps its dry, less exciting cousin.

DeKuyper Triple Sec

Posted on September 29, 2023September 27, 2023 by Nick

Cointreau is expensive, but do you have to use it? Alternatives abound for orange flavored liquor, many of which are considerable cheaper. Among them is DeKuyper Triple Sec, which comes in at $10 a liter. So is it good enough to use in your drinks?

DeKuyper Triple Sec

Proof: 48 (24% A.B.V.)

Sight: Clear

Smell: The notes of orange peels float up with a little bit of fresh orange juice. Hint of sweetness, generally just orange.

Sip: Sweet, rich, lightly orange flavored. Again, more zest than fruit. It’s sweet, but with a hint of bitterness. It’s almost a little bit like pith.

Savor: The ending is sweet with just a bit of orange.

DeKuyper Triple Sec is what you’d hope for in a generic orange flavor. It delivers with a nice orange taste and plenty of sweetness. While it isn’t so sweet that its it’s undoing, it is a lot to just sip. Thankfully, we’re putting this in cocktails.

In Cocktails

In a Margarita DeKuyper is fine as the orange flavor tends to meld with the lime. That said, it is slightly sweeter, but it’s not off putting. It also doesn’t add a lot of layers. It demonstrates this more in a Sidecar, where the singular note leaves the cognac and lemon doing more of the lifting. The sweetness being higher also is noticeable, but may be more of personal preference. Overall, it isn’t a terrible foil in cocktails.

DeKuyper Triple Sec vs. Cointreau

Compared with Cointreau it DeKuyper is significantly sweeter. The flavors of orange in Cointreau are more nuanced and layered. Where as DeKuyper feels like a normal Cara Cara orange, Cointreau is layering in elements of tangerines and different varieties of orange. The higher proof makes the sugar content feel more balanced. In cocktails, this helps to keep ratios more in line with recipes that specifically call for Cointreau, allowing you to add more orange without adding as much sugar.

In Review – DeKuyper Triple Sec

DeKuyper Triple Sec isn’t bad for the price (around $10 a liter). It deliver what it needs to, orange flavor. What it doesn’t offer is complexity, and instead delivers additional sweetness. All of this taken together with the price suggests you could add this to your bar, and be relatively happy. So why don’t we? Well we suggest adding premium liquors and try to balance the sweetness in the cocktail. This doesn’t give a premium addition and requires extra effort to account for the sweetness in drinks that call for higher proportions.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Nick

We’ve highlighted before the idea that proof means flavor. Proof on it’s own isn’t doesn’t mean flavor though. While many factors are important to create the flavor profile of bourbon (mash bill, cask type, etc), perhaps few are so regarded as longer aging. So when the most recent Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923 – showed a 133 proof and a 13 year, 7 month age people became understandably excited. So does this combination of age and proof work out.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923

Proof: 133 (66.5% A.B.V.)
Age: 13 years, 7 months
Filtration: Non-Chill Filtered
Price (MSRP): $75

Sight: Auburn to Mahogany

Smell: To start, it’s 130+ proof, so just don’t stick your nose directly in it. There’s undeniable heat, but behind it are sweet layers of lacy caramel, spiced oak, vanilla, burnt marshmallow, sarsaparilla, and brown sugar. The vanilla in particular is fragrant and luscious, wrapping floral vanilla bean notes around the baking spices. There’s a bit of nuttiness in the background, and a bit of preserved cherry.

Sip: The body is rich and silky from the start, and the heat begins to build, but slower than the nose would suggest. The flavors gather steam, pulling in creme brulee like vanilla and burnt sugar. Caramel wraps around and builds elements of bing cherry. The oak then steps in with plenty of spice and almost a hint of candied orange. There’s a subtle brown sugar like sweetness, but it gives ways to a strong hazelnut note and perhaps some other nuts. A hint of char is present as well.

Savor: The ending carries forward a wonderful candied praline and layered with vanilla and almost latte like mellowed coffee and char. The spices linger in the background and lean toward a dessert like mocha. Somehow the finish almost feels creamy and coating. As it lingers, the tannins of the oak expand, give a velvet feeling as the flavors continue to linger.

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923 is impressively balanced, sweet, complex and rich. The flavors are built on a dessert like sweetness but have a great reflection of the char and spice of the oak. Amazingly, despite the proof, it never really gets hot. The lingering finish is pretty, and carries forward the mix of oak and sweet in a balanced way. There’s a ton to love about sipping this, and it should only get better with time.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is unsurprisingly aggressively and powerful. The notes of oak and perfumed vanilla take the lead here with burnt marshmallow, caramel, praline, and mocha leading the charge. The flavors are assertive and pleasant, but beg you to take notice. The ending has a lovely dark chocolate and concentrated brown sugar note with plenty of oak. There’s a nice luscious caramel drizzle and creamy note that occasionally comes through. Overall, this is a heavy handed Manhattan that will mostly apply to those who are a big fan of barrel proof whiskey offerings.

In Review – Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof – C923 is delicious neat. There’s no getting around the fact that the team at Heaven Hill has produced a particularly good batch with a 13 year age statement. Without a doubt this whiskey will be showing up on several ‘top whiskey of the year’ lists As a result, this is a no brainer at MSRP ($75), and one that those who enjoy high proof, high age statements should hunt down. Unfortunately, as of the time of writing, the secondary market on this is asking for up to double that price. While it’s good, that’s a bitter swallow (approaching $150).

Those looking for cocktails are going to find this one a little harder to justify. While the flavors are delicious, there’s a lot going on here for the average drinker. Additionally, many cocktail elements may impact some of the neat nuances. Combining this with the proof, and you could also set some guests down a path to more consumption than plan. For all these reasons, this is a bottle that we definitely recommend, but more so for enjoying neat than making drinks.

Previous Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Reviews:

Elijah Craig B520

Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy

Posted on September 22, 2023September 20, 2023 by Nick

Although not widely available, Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy has a reputation for being excellent apple brandy. Unfortunately, it’s distribution isn’t available in all states, so until a friend was able to help me try a bottle I had always found the love for this brandy a mystery. So is it worth the hunt?

Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy

Distillate – 100% Apples
Proof – 100 (50%)
Age – Minimum 4 years
Cask – Oak
Bottled In Bond

Sight: Amontillado Sherry

Smell: Fresh sliced apples lace with vanilla and oak. The apple notes get a slight tint of baking spice and a lightly roasted character. It has elements of brown sugar and fruity candied apple. There’s a bit of floral in here too, and more than a little whiff of alcohol.

Sip: Bright floral apples and fresh sliced apple lead. The medium body gives forth a bit of vanilla and a hint of spice. The flavors are lean toward caramelizing apples in the oven, but without the sweetness. Oak comes in and there’s just a hint of the smell of the apple of the farm as flavor here too.

Savor: The ending leans into apples with a bit more skin and vanilla laced oak. The finish is short, and has a vaguely apple character.

Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy is little rough on the nose, but delivers a warm and well constructed apple flavor. The flavors aren’t super complicated or robust, but they are nicely orientated toward the apple orchard. The subtle floral notes go well against the more vanilla and oak undertones. This is a nice solid apple brandy that seems well suited for cocktails.

In Cocktails

In a Jack Rose it lends a fresh apple note to the lemon and pomegranate notes. It’s robust as a base, featuring the subtle oaky flavors and hints of vanilla behind all the fruitiness. While the depth could be deeper, it is very tasty. It works similarly as well in both a Honey Moon Cocktail and an Applejack Rabbit.

In Review – Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy

Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy is nicely constructed and works well in cocktails. Is it life altering? No, but the advantages that it has over Laird’s Blended Applejack are two fold. First, the proof helps to bring the flavors of the apples forward. Secondly, the lack of neutral grain spirits is evidence in a side by side. The result is a more apple orientated drink with none of the off flavors, while only being around $30. For these reasons, this is our new recommendation for an apple brandy when looking to make any cocktails.

Rebel 100 Bourbon

Posted on September 20, 2023September 17, 2023 by Nick

Unless you live in a state like Ohio, you probably aren’t buying Weller Special Reserve for $23 at any regularity. This is a shame too, because honestly, Weller Special Reserve is great at it’s price tag (and not worth $40-50 or even the $100 you’ll see at store that are gouging). So then what should you buy if you’re looking for a wheated bourbon? While the shining example on the hill is Maker’s Mark, they’re not the only brand, so what about Rebel 100 Bourbon which comes in $5 cheaper?

Rebel 100 Bourbon

Distiller: Lux Row Distillers
Age: Not Age Stated
Proof: 100 (50% A.B.V.)

Sight: Deep copper

Smell: Peanut and chocolate lead out with a musty grain and preserved cherry note. Cinnamon and light alcohol notes come through with a little bit of orange and more raw grain. Hints of spice, like pepper or chili are present as well.

Sip: The mouthfeel is thin and pull in light dark chocolate flavors and hints of cereal grain. The mouthfeel is slightly rough, but gets some oak, tobacco, vanilla, and fleeting cherry or plum skin. Light citrus, smoked leather, and grain is present as well.

Savor: There’s a bit of bite that gives way to tobacco and oak and a slightly underlying fruit. Bitter cherry is also a little present in the edges.

Rebel 100 Bourbon is a little rough around the edges but not bad. There’s a few different things going on, but none of them are particularly pronounced or deep. The flavors that are present are cohesive but muddled. The entirety of the experience doesn’t really make it scream ‘drink me’ while neat.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan there’s sweetness and a hint of spice and berry notes to start. The mouthfeel is a little on the light side, and the flavors have a black currant, cherry, and oak underpinning. Bits of chocolate and walnut wood round out the finish. As a Manhattan, Rebel 100 Bourbon feels a bit underwhelming and wouldn’t be a first choice.

In Review – Rebel 100 Bourbon

Rebel 100 Bourbon is light, easy going, and affordable. The proof doesn’t overly assert itself, which is nice. Nothing is bad here, but nothing is great either. At $20, this is right about where it should be, but it’s only a few dollars off of Maker’s Mark (or in the right place, Weller Special Reserve). The price difference just isn’t great enough to justify not taking the step up in quality.

If you’re willing to step away from wheated bourbon, there’s a lot competing in the $20 market, like Old Forester 100 and Jim Beam. Arguably Old Forester 100 delivers more in this context, and it’s really going to be about preference when compared with Beam. All of these might be more versatile choices for setting up your bar, with a wheated bourbon being an add on.

Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc

Posted on September 15, 2023September 11, 2023 by Nick

Chocolate Liqueurs run the gamut from clear and boozy to creamy and mild. The result makes planning your cocktails a bit of a trick. Add the wrong chocolate liqueur to a drink, and that clear white chocolate martini can end up cloudy or brown. Add cream to the wrong drink, and things can curdle. Once you get past just figuring out what liqueur you need, then you have to figure out which one doesn’t suck. In the long line of their liqueurs, we have never had issues with Giffard, so does their Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc work for your cocktail needs, or is this a leftover tootsie roll in the liqueur aisle?

Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc

Proof: 50 (25% A.B.V.)
Notes: Lactose free, Gluten free, Vegan, No preservative

Sight: Essentially clear, but highly viscous.

Smell: The nose has a mild to moderate burn, but is layered with milk chocolate bars, vanilla, and hints of tootsie roll. The chocolate notes seem layered and more than just one milk chocolate element. It has a mild earthy note.

Sip: Unsurprisingly it’s sweet, thick, and very smooth. The flavor milk chocolate bars mixes with vanilla, and has a creamy chocolate milk like texture. The touches of vanilla and white chocolate keep that tootsie roll note going a bit. Subtle dark chocolate notes are in the background.

Savor: The finish is smooth and sweet with plenty of chocolate hanging around.

Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc is wonderfully chocolate laden, and delivers it with the required amount of sweetness. Although you wouldn’t want to sip on this straight (due to all the sugar), it’s clearly setup well for making drinks with. The flavors are thankfully very real, and avoid some of the artificialness you see in cheaper products.

In Cocktails

In a Grasshopper it adds a wonderfully chocolate background, and gives the mint a clever foil. It ends up rich and chocolaty without being overwhelming sweet. Similarly, Giffard plays particularly well in more complex applications, like the the 20th Century. The cacao element gives an earthiness without making the gin fight with the chocolate. This balance with the citrus shows how well it plays with other ingredients. It even works well in my mother’s chocolate martinis.

In Review – Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc

Giffard Creme de Cacao Blanc is a wonderful choice for a creme de cacao, especially a white one, for your bar. The price point in the mid-to-high $20 range provides good value with lots of solid flavor. While you could go cheaper, you should prepare to taste more sugar and more alcohol. For these reasons, this is our current go to creme de cacao blanc.

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

Posted on September 13, 2023September 11, 2023 by Nick

Owned by Sazerac since 2003, A. Smith Bowman Distillery has not escaped the hype that follows other Buffalo Trace products. The line up has three relatively findable products:

Bowman Brothers Small Batch
Isaac Bowman – Port Barrel Finished
John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

They also produce an annual 10 year aged variety A. Smith Bowman which last year was a lottery item. One of the interesting features of this distillery is they don’t currently make their own distillate (which is nodded to in their language on the back of the bottle, “Produced By”), but rather get it from some where else in Sazerac’s portfolio. So does the hype for a product that isn’t even distilled there have merit?

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

Please note John J. Bowman has had a packaging change since I wrote this.

Mash Bill: Unknown – believed to be redistilled Buffalo Trace distillate.
Age: No Age Stated
Proof: 100 (50% A.B.V.)

Sight: Russet Muscat

Smell: Peaches and cherries pop cheerfully with notes of vanilla and caramel. A bit of heat comes through with spicy cloves and baked cinnamon pastries. A nice nuttiness and toasted oak pervades around the edges. The fruitiness also continues to abound with hints of white grape, apricot, and other stone fruits. There is a small amount of heat that builds here as well.

Sip: The sip starts smooth and moves toward almond and cherries. The cherries become candied with an increasingly nutty note. There are peaches that start to grow out with with notes of baking spices and tea. The flavor is fruity, but only hints toward caramel and vanilla, giving a fresh fruit flavor. The body is relatively smooth all the way through.

Savor: The ending pulls in charred peach and baked cherry notes before giving way to spice and oak.

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon is fruity and fragrant if not overly dessert like. The flavors really lean into stone fruit with a nice touch of nuttiness and spice. The result is a moderately complex bourbon with a relatively smooth and evenly weighted bourbon that’s an enjoyable sipper.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan the fruit flavors show up with full force pulling massive amounts of jammy peaches, macerated cherries, and ripe berries. White grape and tea come in, with a bit of vanilla and hints of brown sugar. The vermouth really brings a nice sweetness here to counterbalance some of the drier notes. On the finish, a nice touch of dried peaches and oak combine to give a little spiciness and a hint of tannin.

In Review – John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon is fruity and spicy mix with a good complexity. It leans drier, allowing the fruit to show off without overwhelming it in sugar or dessert flavors. The profile isn’t delicate either, robustly communicating the flavors. Overall, it’s a delicious bottle in the $45-50 price point, and that if it were easier to obtain, would be a slam dunk to start your bar with. Given the availability I can’t quite go that far, I still recommend you track down a bottle as this easily earns a recommendations as a great bottle to have around.

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits Single Barrel Select

Posted on September 10, 2023 by Nick

The last 1792 Full Proof store pick I had I received from a friend, and it was nothing short of delicious. As with most brands, when I find something I like, I think it’s worth exploring further. So on a trip last winter, I knew that the 1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits pick was definitely something I’d have to try. So how does it compare, and did I make the right decision in getting another bottle by a different selector?

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits

Sight: Deep tawny, hedging on auburn

Smell: The nose here is decidedly more oaky than the last single barrel I encountered. There’s a perfumed vanilla that lingers behind a heavy oak and cigar component. The woody character gives off impressions of roasted walnuts and pecans with a deep dark chocolate and slight berry character. Like the other Full Proof, the nose has a tinge of alcohol that’s obvious enough that you shouldn’t go face first into the glass. Those berry notes add a brightness to the edges here, but make no mistake, this is a heavy nose that doesn’t convey sweetness.

Sip: The start is not at heavy as it might imply, but does quickly pull in some baking spice and toasted marshmallow. The oak notes definitely show up though, giving off a toasted char to compliment the spice. Some nuttiness and cocoa powder shows up. Vanilla works it’s way back in with a hint of brown sugar, but it doesn’t quite run sweet. There’s a tobacco and astringent black tea component moving here as well.

Savor: The finish pulls in some of those baking spices, black tea, and slight perfumed oak note. It lingers with a moderate weight without getting too aggressive, and goes more into a charred oak sort of linger. It pops with a little heat toward the end.

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits is more of a dry take on things than the last bottle I had. This doesn’t mean it’s bad, but it’s more of a contemplative sipper that isn’t quite as unique or complex. It has some good deep notes in it, but it isn’t going to make anyone run out for another bottle to sip.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan, 1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits is unsurprisingly very full bodied and rich. The sweetness actually opens up though, giving an interestingly vanilla brown sugar character that lingers under a toasted barrel / marshmallow riff. The astringency is complimented by the sweetness of the fruity vermouth, and somehow the bitters kind of bind it. While it is strong in presence here, it also sort of mellows. Better in a cocktail than neat.

In Review – 1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits

1792 Full Proof – All Star Wine & Spirits is good, and at a price under $50 it really delivers well on full proof without high price. While it isn’t the home run the previous full proof is, it still shows these picks are worth picking up and enjoying at the $50 price point. Generally speaking, it seems like if you happen to like 1792 (Barton’s) normal full proof, you’re going to enjoy other bottles. Thanks to reasonable price point, these are worth getting when you see them at retail.

Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum

Posted on September 1, 2023August 31, 2023 by Nick

I’d be remiss to tell you that I have some long fact sheet of information regarding Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum. In fact, if I were to attempt to explain how this rum came to find a place in my home, it’s almost certainly the result of misreading Martin Cate’s recommendation of Santa Teresa 1796 in his amazing book, Smuggler’s Cove*. At the time I was new to making Tiki drinks, and my wife and I were grabbing every brand of rum we could find that was listed in his book and not available in Ohio. So even though we made a bit of an error in picking up this particular bottle, is the rum still worth our time?

Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum

Country of Origin: Venezuela (D.O.C.)
Age: No Age Statement (purportedly 5 years)
Proof: 80 (40% A.B.V.)

Sight: Chestnut Olosoro Sherry

Smell: A moderate amount of dry oak and sweet tropical fruit wafts up. There’s a buttery note here, with a bit of spice and some ethanol heat. Slight vanilla and caramel with a bit of esters accentuates a somewhat underwhelming nose.

Sip: The flavor is moderately fruity with some elements of sweet caramel and undertone of oak and vanilla. The spice and fruitiness lean toward coconut, and the rich buttery pastry flavor elements sometimes don’t get quite translate on the thin mouthfeel. There’s a bit of maybe pineapple, but things are fairly muddled and light here.

Savor: The ending pulls in some caramelized pineapple and oak spice. The rum like funk notes are super vague, and nothing is particularly distinguished. There’s even a bit of tannin that gives a hint of char.

Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum is not particularly deep or refined. The flavors are pleasant if not particularly robust. If you’re planning on drinking it straight, than this isn’t going to really inspire you or excite your palate.

In Cocktails

In a Daiquiri, the lime really steals top billing, showing off the brightness while the sweetness and caramel comes toward the middle and later part of the sip. The rum itself isn’t necessarily the star, but it also isn’t really enhancing itself or the drink. In simplistic terms, this rum doesn’t result in a balanced drink, but isn’t ruining it either.

In Review – Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum

Santa Teresa Gran Reserva Anejo Rum is rather uninspired as a sipper, and makes a bland and unbalanced cocktail. Now if this sounds like a bad rum, it isn’t. It just isn’t a rum that’s worth remembering, hunting out, or recommending. It’s passible in the best possible, “that’s rum”, kind of way. This is different than something like Bacardi Gold (this is bad) where you notice it and you don’t want to drink it. Cost also plays a factor here, with bottles going in the mid-$20 range. That said, if you want an aged rum, Doorly’s X.O., El Dorado 8, or Appleton Reserve all offer significantly better value.

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Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye – Binny’s Barrel #234

Posted on August 30, 2023August 30, 2023 by Nick

Castle & Key’s distillery starts it life in 1887 when Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr built the structure inspired by European architecture. The result featured a Castle, a classical Springhouse, and a Sunken Garden, and contributed to an age of bourbon hospitality. Sadly, it wouldn’t last, and the distillery was shuttered in 1920 with the passing of prohibition. Purchased in 2014, the team at Castle & Key began work to create a functioning distillery. Nearly 100 years later (2018) the first spirits became available for purchase, with aged spirits following in 2021/2022. Among these are single barrel selections, such as Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye – Binny’s Barrel #234. So has their effort paid off?

Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye – Binny’s Barrel #234

Mash Bill: 17% Yellow Corn / 63% Rye / 20% Malted Barley
Barrel No.: 234
Bottle No.: 32
Age: 4 Years
Released: 2022
Proof: 115.9 (A.B.V. 57.9%)

Sight: Russet Muscat to Tawny

Smell: Hello, would you like ALL OF THE PEANUTS. The noses explodes with peanuts, peanut brittle, peanut butter, and an armada of other peanut notes. A yeasty dough and mild milk chocolate flavor. The nuttiness covers a lot of the herbal notes, and instead lets some brown sugar and baking spice out.

Sip: It’s viscous, rich, and creamy on the palate. There’s a creamed honey and peanut that comes forward. The vanilla and pastry notes pick up a significant amount of clove and herbs. There’s a deep amount of caramelized brown sugar and light notes of fruit that comes through. There’s some apple and peach notes that get through too, but it’s heavily peanut and sugar orientated.

Savor: The finish carries through dessert like peanut notes mixed with peaches and light mint. The warm baking spices and a touch of tea like astringency gets into the mix. Welcoming oaky notes and light toasted elements finish the long, lingering, peanut finish.

Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye – Binny’s Barrel #234 is delightfully dessert like without losing the underpinned rye. It has a moderate amount of complexity and layered sugary notes. The yeastiness is pleasant and balanced, working as a good foil to neutralize some of the more predominate rye elements. Overall, this is a fun rye, and one that I think offers a lot at this price point.

In Cocktails

In a Manhattan Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye is smooth, hiding between the sweetness of the red plum in the vermouth. The herbal flavors emphasize slightly here, but there’s not a stand out element beyond the caramel and vanilla. The black tea notes creep up as it warms up. Overall, it doesn’t feel like a 120 proof rye Manhattan, and this disappearing act is a little disappointing.

Compared to another Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye

Another single barrel pick reveals a large gulf. The color shows a bit less, going toward russet muscat. The nose shows interesting aromas of honey and cinnamon with wine like fermented fruits. The herbal touches of the rye creep in adding a savory juniper kind of backdrop, but it lets a honeyed baklava come out. There’s a slight pastry and vanilla nose complexity. The palate explodes with raspberry, peaches, and mint. It’s moderate bodied, and pulls in honeyed tea notes. The flavor is almost similar to a deeply complex, aged dessert wine made with noble rot. There’s a hint of coffee and waffle cone here too. The sweetness here belies a funny sort of sweet white fruit character. The finish is complexly herbal and mixed with dried fruits. The finish brings forward some lingering dried red fruit notes.

Overall, it’s another stunner, even if it’s completely different. It gives me confidence in picking another barrel this rye.

In Review – Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye – Binny’s Barrel #234

Castle & Key Single Barrel Restoration Rye is really good on it’s own. Especially for the price point, and the step up over the standard shelfer (Castle & Key Restoration Rye). The premium bottle and cork add a richness to the experience, but the complex flavor of the rye inside adds up for a lot of fun. Having two bottles that both positively show this is a confidence booster for picking up another one of these, especially around $60.